Ticket counting machine



March 28, 1944. J. ROSE TICKET couNTrNG MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 6.1936 ATTORNEY alle: um

Patented Mar'. 28, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 109,426, November 6,1936.

This application December 8, 1941, Serial No. 422,063

(Cl. 23S-98) Claims.

My invention relates to ticket counting machines and has particularreference to machines -for registering admission tickets in theaters andsimilar establishments.

This is a substitute application for my application Serial No. 109,426,filed November 6, 1936.

The object of my invention is to provide a ticket counting machinehaving a plurality of rolls for propelling tickets or strips of ticketsfrom a receiving chute into a container, operating at the same time acanceling device by the `movement of a ticket or strip of ticketsbetween the rolls.

Another object of my invention is to provide a ticket counting machinewith a mechanical device operated by moving tickets, the device beingadapted to register only normal or fullsized tickets, being inoperativefor shortened tickets, for instance, when they are torn in two pieces.

Another object of my invention is to provide a ticket counting machinewith a plurality of canceling and propelling rolls for tickets andstrips of tickets, the rolls being staggered, one set operating on theedge portions of the tickets, the other on their middle portions. In apreferred arrangement I use middle canceling rolls operating on themiddle portions of the tickets, and propelling rolls engaging the edgeportions. Mechanical elements, actuating a registering device, aresupported between the rolls acting on the edge portions.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a ticket countingmachine with a registering attachment adapted to register strip ticketsby the holes or openings separating successive tickets.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a ticket registeringmachine which cancels tickets by cutting off their marginal sides,thereby rendering it impossible to send such canceled tickets againthrough the machine.

My invention is more fully described in the yac'companying specificationand drawing, in

1which:

Fig. 6 is a detail view of cutting rollers.

My ticket counting machine consists of a hous ing I with a fixed cover 2and a hinged cover 3 on hinges 4 with a lock 5. The hinged coverl hasapertures or chutes 6 for tickets or ticket strips l; also pockets 8 forcards 9 indicating the value of tickets for which the particularadjacent chute is being used. A door I is provided at the rear side ofthe housing, the front side having a window II for an electric lamp I2.

A bracket I3 is supported inside the housing on its side walls by screwsI4. The bracket supports ticket canceling units, each unit consisting ofside brackets or plates I5 connected together by studs IS with spacingtubes il. A guiding block I8 for the tickets is supported between thebrackets I5 and consists of two metal plates `joined together andforming a channel 20 inside for the tickets. The upper end of thechannel is flared out to facilitate the entrance of tickets from thechutes 6.

The brackets I5 have apertures I9 for bearings 2l and 22, the apertureson one side of the unit extending to the edges of the brackets Whereflanges 23 are formed. Inserts 24 are placed in these slotted aperturesfor retaining and adjusting the bearings 2I. The inserts have anges 25secured to the flanges 23 by screws 26, permitting to adjust theposition of the inserts and the bearings. Shafts 2l are journaled in thebearings for rolls 28 and 2S spaced so as to engage the edge portions ofthe tickets passing through the channel Z in the unit. Slots 3U areprovided in the block E3 for the rolls. The upper and the lower pairs ofthe rolls are connected by pairs of gears 3l and 32. mounted on the endson the shafts 2l, with a driving gear 32'. The latter is in mesh withthe gears 3l and 32 on one side of the brackets and is mount# ed on ashaft 33 journaled in bearings 3G tted in the brackets i5. The shaft 33extends across all the units. simultaneously driving all the gears. Ithas a sprocket 31 on the end connected by a chain 38 with a sprocket 39on the shaft of an electric motor 40 mounted on a bracket 'li.Intermediate rolls 42 and 43 of a relatively smaller diameter aremounted on shafts i4 midway between tlie upper and lower main rolls. Theroll 42 has sharp teeth 45 in mesh with corresponding holes in the roll43 for canceling the tickets by punching holes through their middleportion. The roll 43 has a gear 46 in mesh with the driv` ing gear 32.The distance between the upper and lower main rolls approximatelycorresponds to the length of the tickets. Chutes or spouts' '5I pivotedat 62.

further on its way through the slot 2B.

41 are supported under the channels 20 for guiding tickets intoindividual containers 48 for each kind of tickets. The containers can beremoved through the rear of the housing by opening the door I0.

Brackets 49 are mounted on one side of the block I8 and are providedwith forked ends or clevices for pins 5i! on which are pivoted cranklevers 5I and 52. The block I8 has slots 53 for the inner ends of thelevers. These ends are shaped in the form of sharp feelers reaching intoshallow depressions 54 in the opposite side of the block I3, and areadapted to be deected by the edge of the ticket 1.

The end 'I0 of the upper feeler is made lwide so as to cover holes 55separating tickets in the strips, so that this feeler becomes deflectedonly by the edge of a ticket. The lower feeler is sharp-pointed and canfall into the holes 55 as shown in Fig. 4. The outer ends of the levers5I and 52 are pivotally connected with the ends of a crossbar 56, themiddle point of which is pivoted at 51 to one end of a rod 58 sliding ina bearing 35. The other end of the rod has an elongated slot 59 for apin 60 on a crank lever The end of the arm of the lever 6I has a contactpoint B3 opposite a point 64, forming a switch, connected with the lampI 2. The other arm of the lever 6| is pivotally connected with a rod G5,the other end of which is connected with an operating arm 66 of anordinary counter 51. The numbers on the face of the counter are exposedthrough a window in the xed cover 2 alongside the numbers of anelectrically operated counter E8 connected with the ticket issuingmachine (not shown) in the box oilice. Y

The operation of my apparatus is as follows:

A ticket or strip of tickets 1. is deposited for canceling into acorresponding chute 6. The motor 40 running continuously, the upperrolls 2 8 engage the lower end of the ticket and begin to pull itthrough the channel 25, the latter being made to suit the particularwidth and thickness of the tickets. The lower edge of the ticket engagesthe upper feeler 10 and deflects it as shown in Fig. 4. The other end ofthe lever 5| moves the upper end of the crossbar 55 through the link 69.The rod 58 is accordingly moved outward. The slot 5e is so arranged thatin this position of the rod 58 the rear end of the slot VJ'eeler 15, theholes 55 having no eectonthe feeler.

The ticket then becomes engaged by the central canceling rolls 42 and43, which punch a series of holes through the central portion oftheticket, at the same time propelling the ticket The intermediate rollsenable, therefore, short tickets or their halves to be pulled throughthe device, if such shortened tickets happened to be thrown into thechute ii. The lower end of the ticket is then engaged by the lower rolls29 and almost immediately come in contact with the lower feeler 1 I,deflecting the lever 52. The latter, through its link 69, pushes thelower end of the crossbar 56, thereby pushing the rod 58. The slottedend register the ticket. Distance between the feelers 10 and 1I issomewhat smaller than the length of an ordinary ticket, so that onlyfull length tickets can be registered, as both feelers must be deflectedin order to actuate the lever 6I. Short tickets will be pulled throughbut will not be registered. Each ticket in a strip will be registeredwhenever the lower feeler 1l falls into the hole 55 separating thesuccessive tickets.

In a modiiied arrangement shown in Fig. 6, the canceling is eiected bylower rolls 12 and 13. These rolls have sharp-cutting edges spacedpreferably nearer the centerline of the tickets than the upper rolls.The lower rolls cut oi the side vmarginal portions of the tickets, andsuch mutilated narrow tickets cannot be drawn in by the upper rolls ifan attempt be made to send such of the latter was already engagingthenpin 50,

-so that now it will move the lever 6I, closing the Aswitch contacts 63and 64 for flashing the lamp I2 and pulling the rod 65, thereby turningthe between the pair of the upper rolls 28.

It is understood that my ticket counting machine may be further modifiedwithout' departing from the spirit of the invention, as set forth in theappended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. A ticket counting machine comprisinga; guide for tickets, means topull the tickets through .the guide, a counter for the tickets having anoperating arm adapted to be reciprocated vfor operating the counter, twolevers rotatively supported at the guide spaced from each other havinginner and `outer arms, inner arms of the levers forming feelersextending into the guide and adapted tobe deflected by the edge of aticket moving through the guide, the feelers extending at an obtuseangle to the face of the ticket, thereby obtaining a relatively longtravel of the point of feeler for a relatively small thickness of theticket, a cross bar pivotally connected with outer arms of the levers,and operative members extending from a pivot'at the middle point of thecross bar to the operating arm, the cross bar arm being adapted to berotated by the levers about its middle pivot, and being adapted totransmit motion to the arm Vfrom the levers only when both feelers aredeflected by ya ticket of a standard length.

2. A ticket counting machine comprising 'a guide for tickets, means topull the tickets, and strips of tickets, through the guide, a counterfor the tickets havingT an operating arm adapted to be reciprocated foroperating the counter, two levers rotatively supported at the guidespaced from each other, having inner and outer arms, the inner armsforming feelers extending from the levers into the guide and adapted tobe de- 'ected by the edge of a ticket moving through the guide, theeelers extending at an obtuse angle to the face of the ticket, therebyobtaining a relatively long travel of the point of feeler for a'relatively small thickness of the ticket, a bar movably supported inthe machine, operative connections between one end of the movablebar-and the cperating'arm, a cross bar pivotally connected at the middleto the movable bar, and pivotal connections between the ends of thecross bar and the outer arms of the levers, the cross bar being adaptedto be rotated about its pivot when one ofthe levers is rotated, andbeing adapted to move the movable bar for operating the counter whenboth levers are rotated, the feelers being so lspaced as to operate thecounter only when `the ticket of standard length is being pulled throughthe guide. 3. A ,ticket counting machine comprisingv a `guide fortickets, means to pull the tickets, and

strips of tickets, through the guide, a counter for the tickets havin-gan operating arm adapted to be reciprocated for operating the counter,two levers rotatively supported at the guide spaced from each other,having inner and outer arms, the inner arms forming feelers extendingfrom the levers into the guide and adapted to be deflected by the edgeof a ticket moving through the guide, the feelers extending at an obtuseangle to the face of the ticket, thereby obtaining a relatively longtravel of the point of feeler for a relatively small thickness of theticket, a bar movably supported in the machine, operating connectionsbetween one end-of the movable bar and the operating arm, a cross barpivotally .connected at the middle to the other end of the movable bar,and pivotal connections between the ends of the cross bar and outer armsof the levers, the cross bar being adapted to be rotated about its pivotwhen one of the levers is rotated, and being adapted to move the movablebar for operating the counter when both levers are rotated, one of thefeelers having a small end for entering holes between consecutivetickets in a strip, the other feeler having a large end for straddlingthe hole, thereby preventing registering of a shortened ticket at theend of the strip.

4. A ticket counting machine comprising a guide for tickets, means topull the tickets, and strips of tickets, through the guide, a counterfor the tickets having an operating arm adapted to be reciprocated foroperating the counter, two levers rotatively supported at the guidespaced from each other, having inner and outer arms, the inner armsforming feelers extending from the levers into the guide and adapted tobe deflected by the edge of a ticket moving through the guide, thefeelkers extending at an obtuse angle to the face of the ticket, therebyobtaining a relatively long travel of the point of feeler for arelatively small thickness of the ticket, a bar movably supported in themachine operating connections between one end of the bar and theoperating arm, a cross bar pivotally connected at the middle to themovable bar, and pivotal connections between the ends of the cross barand outer arms of the levers, the cross bar being adapted to be rotatedabout its pivot when one of the levers is rotated, and being adapted tomove the sliding bar for operating the counter when both levers arerotated, the feelers being so spaced as to operate the counter only whenthe ticket of standard length is being pulled through the guide, thelower feeler having a small end for entering holes between consecutivetickets in a strip, the upper feeler having a large end for straddlingthe hole, thereby preventing registering of a shortened ticket at theend of the strip.

5. A ticket counting machine comprising a guide for tickets, means topull the tickets, and strips of tickets through the guide, a counter forthe tickets having an operating arm adapted to be reciprocated foroperating the counter, two levers rotatively supported at the guidespaced from each other, having inner and outer arms, the inner armsforming feelers extending from the levers into the guide and adapted tobe deflected by the edge of a ticket moving through the guide, thefeelers extending at an obtuse angle to the face of the ticket, therebyobtaining a relatively long travel point of feeler for a relativelysmall thickness of the ticket, one of the feelers having a small end forentering holes between consecutive tickets in a strip, the other feelerhaving a wide end passing over the holes, but sliding ot the end of theticket, the feelers being so spaced as to prevent registering ashortened ticket at the end of the strip, and means to transmitmechanical movement from the levers to the counter when both arms arerotated.

JAY ROSE.

